Warwickshire Virtual School

Warwickshire Virtual School works strategically with schools, early years settings, social care and partner agencies to improve educational outcomes for Children with a Social Worker (CWSW). This page explains who is included in the CWSW cohort, why the cohort matters, what support is available, and what schools and settings are asked to do.

This information is intended for school leaders, designated safeguarding leads, inclusion leads, governors, early years leaders and colleagues working with children and families. It is designed to support whole-school and multi-agency approaches rather than individual casework.

At a glance

Warwickshire Virtual School support is organised around strategic advice and guidance, expectations for schools and settings, training and professional development, resources, networks and partnerships.

To discuss training, strategic advice or access to CWSW resources, contact the CWSW Education Adviser: sharonharris@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Who are Children with a Social Worker?

For this area of work, Children with a Social Worker (CWSW) includes:

• children with a current Child in Need (CiN) plan
• children with a current Child Protection (CP) plan
• children who have previously had a social worker within the last six years (Ever-6 CWSW)
• children living in formal kinship care arrangements.

Why they matter

Nationally, Children with a Social Worker remain one of the most educationally disadvantaged groups of children and young people. They are more likely to experience attendance difficulties, suspension, exclusion, lower attainment and poorer post-16 outcomes. The extended role of Virtual Schools is intended to strengthen visibility, inclusion and educational outcomes for this cohort through strategic leadership, advice and partnership working.

Strategic role of Warwickshire Virtual School

Warwickshire Virtual School provides strategic leadership for CWSW by strengthening systems, practice and partnerships across education, social care and wider services.

Our role is to:

• Champion the educational outcomes of Children with a Social Worker.
• Identify and respond to barriers that may affect education outcomes.
• Promote strong partnerships between education, social care and wider services.
• Improve attendance, inclusion, progress and attainment.
• Support schools to develop effective, evidence-informed practice.
• Promote high aspirations for all children and young people.

This is not a casework role. Warwickshire Virtual School provides strategic advice, guidance and professional development to strengthen whole-school systems and multi-agency practice for Children with a Social Worker.

What schools and settings are asked to do

Expectations for schools and settings

Schools and settings are asked to keep Children with a Social Worker visible within leadership, safeguarding, attendance, inclusion and improvement systems.

• Maintain an accurate and visible CWSW cohort list.
• Monitor attendance closely and respond early to emerging concerns through multi-agency working.
• Ensure leaders, governors and relevant staff understand the cohort and monitor outcomes.
• Ensure Children with a Social Worker are considered within the school's inclusion strategy and improvement planning.
• Use cohort information to inform attendance, inclusion and disadvantage planning.
• Provide governors with information about attendance, inclusion and outcomes for Children with a Social Worker.

How Warwickshire Virtual School supports schools and settings

Support is provided through strategic advice and guidance, training and professional development, practical resources, termly networks and funded partner programmes.

Training, resources and networks

Warwickshire schools and settings can book places on CWSW training by contacting the CWSW Education Adviser: sharonharris@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Annual leadership training

This annual leadership training is delivered in partnership with the Educational Psychology Service (EPS).

Colleagues can choose one in-person session from the dates below.

New to role training

For Warwickshire colleagues new to leading CWSW provision, this training covers:

• Understanding the CWSW cohort.
• Leadership roles and responsibilities.
• Identification and tracking systems.
• Working effectively with social care and partner agencies.
• Building effective systems and processes.
• Accessing Virtual School support.

New to CWSW leader training is delivered online via Microsoft Teams.

Network meetings

Network meetings help Warwickshire CWSW leads stay up to date, share effective practice, explore emerging themes, strengthen collaboration across schools, and shape future Virtual School support and training.

• Receive updates on national and local developments.
• Share effective practice.
• Explore emerging themes and challenges.
• Strengthen collaboration across schools.
• Influence future Virtual School support and training.

Network meetings are delivered online via Microsoft Teams

Flourish webinars

Through Flourish, schools can access professional learning on inclusive, relational and trauma-informed practice.

Flourish webinars are available throughout the year.

To book places, please contact the Virtual School team at virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk.

Strategic advice and guidance themes

Attendance

• Attendance as a safeguarding priority.
• Partnership with Warwickshire Attendance Service.
• Attendance within CIN and CP planning.

Inclusion, wellbeing and relational practice

• Trauma-informed practice.
• Behaviour as communication.
• Belonging and engagement.
• Reducing suspension and exclusion.

SEND and additional needs

• Overlap between CWSW and SEND.
• Inclusive approaches.
• Joined-up planning.
• Partnership with Warwickshire SENDAR.

Positive transitions

• Enhanced transitions.
• Information sharing between settings.
• Transition support resources.

Educational disadvantage and outcomes

• Raising aspirations.
• Closing attainment gaps.
• Ensuring CWSW are visible within disadvantage strategies.

Multi-agency working

• Advise on coordinated responses to attendance, engagement or inclusion barriers.
• Promote education-focused outcomes in multi-agency plans.
• Signpost relevant services, guidance, training and resources.
• Use emerging themes to inform wider partnership work.
• Strengthen relationships with social care teams through regular liaison, including planned visits to social care bases:

Resources and practical tools

Guidance documents

• Children known (or previously known) to social care cohorts (PDF, 227KB)
• Example Children known (or previously known) to social care policy (DOCX, 74KB)
• Warwickshire Virtual School’s CWSW and Kinship audit is a supportive self-evaluation tool to help schools and settings reflect on how they identify, support and champion children with a social worker and children in formal kinship care. It helps leaders evidence strengths, identify next steps and strengthen attendance, inclusion, wellbeing and outcomes. Schools are welcome to contact the CWSW Adviser for support or discussion.

Newsletters

Sign up to receive CWSW newsletters directly and access the latest updates, resources and training offers.

Sign up the newsletter (MS Forms)

• Newsletter 6: May 2026 (MS Sway)
• Newsletter 5: April 2026 (MS Sway)
• Newsletter 4: March 2026 (MS Sway)
• Newsletter 3: January 2026 (MS Sway)
• Newsletter 2: November 2025 (MS Sway)
• Newsletter 1: September 2025 (MS Sway)

Partner programmes and funded professional learning

Attachment Research Community (ARC)

Warwickshire Virtual School offers fully funded Attachment Research Community (ARC) membership to all Warwickshire schools. Membership gives schools access to the ARC members’ area and resources, including the ARC Pathway, ARC Audit and ARC MATRIX, with up to 10 colleague users per school.

The ARC - The ARC Pathway

Challenging Education

Thinking differently for disadvantaged learners is designed to be flexible and fit with your school’s professional development plan. Each of the six modules contains over 90 minutes of recorded sessions. Individual videos are bite-sized, no more than 15 minutes long, and can be integrated into a longer training session or staff briefing.

All Warwickshire schools can access the Challenging Education Professional Learning Programme (PLP).

Flourish funded training

Warwickshire Virtual School works in partnership with Flourish to provide fully funded education-specific training across Warwickshire.

The fully funded training gives you access to:

• Over 40 courses on the Click eLearning platform, including Attachment and Trauma, Exclusions and Emotionally Based School Avoidance.
• CPD-accredited training delivered online, by webinar or face to face.

To find out more about the fully funded training, visit Flourish - Warwickshire Virtual School funded training.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are Children with a Social Worker (CWSW)?

This includes children with a current CiN or CP plan, children previously known to social care within the last six years, and children in formal kinship care. See the definition above for the full cohort description.

Why are Children with a Social Worker a priority group?

They are a priority because they are more likely to experience barriers to attendance, inclusion, wellbeing and attainment. Schools should ensure the cohort is visible in leadership, safeguarding, attendance and improvement systems.

Do schools need a named CWSW Lead?

Warwickshire Virtual School recommends that every school identifies a named lead for Children with a Social Worker to ensure the cohort is visible, monitored and effectively supported.

What support does the Virtual School provide?

The Virtual School offers strategic advice and guidance, professional development, network opportunities, resources, and support to strengthen attendance, inclusion, attainment and multi-agency working for the CWSW cohort.

Can schools discuss individual children with the Virtual School?

The Virtual School does not undertake casework or direct case management. However, the CWSW Education Adviser can provide strategic information, advice and guidance around attendance, inclusion, educational barriers, provision planning and multi-agency working.

What support is available for attendance concerns?

Attendance should be considered as a safeguarding, wellbeing and educational priority. Warwickshire Virtual School works alongside schools and Warwickshire Attendance Service to support early identification, strengthen engagement and share effective attendance practice for the CWSW cohort.

How can schools strengthen multi-agency working?

Effective multi-agency working relies on clear communication, appropriate information sharing, shared understanding of professional roles, joint planning around outcomes and timely escalation of concerns when needed.

What should schools monitor?

Attendance, attainment, progress, inclusion, suspensions, exclusions, participation, wellbeing and post-16 destinations.

What might Ofsted inspectors ask about Children with a Social Worker?

Schools should be able to explain who their CWSW cohort are, how needs are identified, what support is in place, and how attendance, inclusion, wellbeing and educational outcomes are monitored and improved.

When should I contact the Virtual School?

Contact the Virtual School for strategic advice about your CWSW cohort, support with attendance, inclusion or engagement themes, guidance on multi-agency working, or information about training and resources.

View our full Frequently Asked Questions (PDF, 102KB) for further guidance and support.

Contact us

For strategic advice, guidance or support with CWSW training and resources, contact Warwickshire Virtual School.

E: virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk

T: 01926 742018